Modena enjoys second place in the Serie B standings, just one point behind league leaders Monza.
In the last match played at Frosinone, the goal that completed the comeback from 2-0 to 2-2 came one minute before the 90th, with an assist from Gregoire Defrel to Yanis Massolin.
What's Yanis Massolin's story?
The former Roma, Parma, and Sassuolo forward, Gregoire Defrel, played an important role in Massolin's arrival in Italy. Like him, Massolin is French of Martinican origin but plays as a midfielder (central or attacking midfielder) with offensive traits. Last summer, Modena signed him from Belgian club Royal Francs Borains for 600,000 euros, and granted him a three-year contract until June 2028, with an option for two more seasons.
Born in 2002, Massolin had attracted interest from Juventus Next Gen and Milan Futuro. He is a left-footed player who combines technical and athletic qualities, standing 197 cm tall. His father was a defender, and thanks to his globetrotting career, Massolin holds Algerian and Spanish passports in addition to French and Martinican citizenship, as relayed via Calcio Mercato today.
After coming through the youth system at Moulins (the French city where he was born), Massolin played in France and Switzerland with Thonon Evian, Annemasse Gaillard, Meyrin, FC City, Moulins Yzeure, and Clermont Foot, where he signed his first professional contract and debuted in Ligue 1 at 20. In 2023, he moved to Belgian side Royal Francs Borains (second division), scoring 5 goals and providing 1 assist in 43 appearances.
On the rise:
Modena coach Andrea Sottil describes him: "Massolin can play multiple roles in the central area and has already improved a lot since the start of the season as he gained 4 kilos of muscle."
So far, he has never started a match but has entered four times from the bench, always making a decisive impact: from his debut against Sampdoria, creating the second goal, to scoring at Frosinone, with appearances at Palermo and the derby against Reggiana. His future is on his side.
